The holidays are upon us, and the older I get, the more I want simple recipes for family get-togethers. Most of us have very little time to prepare the massively ornate dinners publicized in magazines and on social media. Instead, I want tasty, easy, and fresh dishes that take little time to prepare so I can enjoy every moment with my family and friends. It was this mindset that led to the creation of Holiday Apple Salad.
Holiday Apple Salad Recipe…
Both my family and my husband’s family have served variations of apple salads for years. Some recipes are topped with mayo and contain chopped celery, sometimes the salads are more fluffy, and sometimes (gasp) the recipe is more like dessert with Snickers folded in with the fluff! Holiday Apple Salad is slightly sweet, contains many of the traditional holiday flavors, yet is more healthy than more holiday side dishes.
As an aside, I always have apples in our refrigerator, especially in the fall. We make a trip to our local apple orchard at least once, if not twice, in October to stock up. I like to purchase the #2 apples. These are not the beautiful specimens like the #1’s. The #2 apples might have a discoloration or contain a few lumps, but in my opinion, they taste just as good for half the price of the #1’s. I use apples in a lot of recipes. Chopped up apples all look the same!
The only skill needed for Holiday Apple Salad is chopping. The apples and pecans get chopped, while everything else just gets mixed together. Easy-peasy!
A light dressing of neufchatel cheese (like cream cheese, only lower in fat/calories), plain yogurt, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar coats the salad in a festive sauce. Combined with the crunchy pecans and tart cranberries, this recipe makes a great holiday side! It is festive enough to hold its own against the turkey, but light enough that everyone will still have room for pie! 🙂
I decided to chop the pecan by hand instead of using my nut chopper. This allowed me to have larger pieces of nuts to fold into the salad. Saving some to sprinkle on the top adds a nice crunch.
I chopped up the apples in small, bite sized pieces and soaked in salt water until I finished. The salt water kept the apples from browning. I chose to leave the skins on the apples for color, but if you are opposed to the skin, the apples can certainly be peeled. 🙂
The lovely dressing started with the neufchatel cheese. I like to use a hand mixer to beat the cheese until smooth and then add the brown sugar. I creamed these together with the hand mixer. Finally, I mixed in the remaining spices and yogurt. Can you see the lovely cinnamon in the above picture?
Finally, fold all the pieces of the salad together except for a quarter cup of the pecan pieces. The final product is a taste of the holidays, full of crunchy apples and pecans, tart cranberries, and warm cinnamon. Your family will request this healthy side dish long after the last of the turkey and ham leftovers are gone.
Please enjoy the coming Christmas Season and take time to be with those you love! Your guests will be extra appreciative if you add Holiday Apple Salad to your menu. Blessings!
Notes
This can be prepared the morning of the dinner party.
Ingredients
- 2 c. water mixed with 2 t. salt, for soaking apples
- 1 (8 oz.) package neufchatel cheese
- 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
- 1 t. ground cinnamon
- 1 c. plain yogurt
- 2 t. vanilla extract
- 1 c. chopped pecans, divided
- 3/4 c. dried cranberries
- 8 c. chopped apples, no need to peel
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together water and salt until dissolved. This will be used to soak the apples while chopping to prevent browning.
- Wash and chop apples, stirring into water/salt mixture. Let sit until dressing is ready.
- Using a handmixer, beat the neufchatel until soft. Beat in the brown sugar until sugar is dissolved and mixture is fluffy.
- Add cinnamon, yogurt, and vanilla extract and mix until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Using a colander, drain apples well, being sure to shake out all extra water.
- Mix together apples, dressing, 3/4 c. of chopped pecans and the dried cranberries. Place in serving dish.
- Sprinkle reserved pecans over salad and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.